Xavier cagers eye success this time
Speed and outside shooting are the weapons the Xavier School Golden Stallions intend to unleash in their return the Philippine Secondary Schools Basketball Championship (PSSBC) Rain or Shine Elastopaint Cup starting on Dec. 15 at the SGS Stadium in Quezon City.
“Our shooting and speed are our assets so we hope we can use those in the PSSBC, said coach Miguel Chan, who is delighted to be given the opportunity to see his boys compete against some of the finest high school teams in the country.
Chan said the team’s success depends largely on how shooter Ryan Yu and Batang Gilas center Miguel Tan perform in a top level tournament.
“They are proven scorers,” said Chan.
Tan stands at 6-foot-5 but is deadly from afar.
Aside from Yu and Tan, the Golden Stallions can also count on Jedrick Lim, Lance Alandy, Diego Alandy and Darren Sytin.
Except for reigning UAAP titlist Ateneo, all the top guns are going to take part in the weeklong tournament also sponsored by MEC Networks, IronCon Builders, Freego, Che’ Lu Bar and Grill, Dickies Underwear, Hapee Toothpaste, and Blackwater Sports.
The Golden Stallions, outfitted by Mighty Sports, have a solid basketball program but this will mark the first time in years that they will be going up against the best teams from UAAP and NCAA.
Tan, however, is unfazed. “It’s a big challenge knowing those teams have been playing in big leagues so we need to execute our offense fluidly,” added Tan, who will have Jobem Ledesma as assistant.
“Malalim ang bench ng Xavier so they have a good chance,” said league chairman Terry Que. “That makes this season’s tournament an exciting one.”